Glyn Green
New member
I'm a painter of 10+ years looking to buy my first airbrush shortly and wanting advice. I'd have judged from existing threads/articles/sites I've read up on so far but my usage requirements are non-standard; 95% of everything I play or paint these days is for the excellent 6mm scale Epic Armageddon game, where the models are 5 times smaller than normal 30mm W40k/Warhammer or other models. Regardless of their small size I still want to do everything to paint these models to the very best of my ability, using many and various techniques; the Forge World Model Masterclass book has inspired me to try lots of new things in concert and to up my game. I want to try doing my best to follow the same stages they do on the much smaller epic models.
For 6mm I figure I want an airbrush that is capable of putting out a extremely fine spray of droplets over a very small area with good control, yes? From my uneducated browsing around I have a general idea the better/more expensive airbrushes would be better for this (and that it's worth paying for a good one), but want to find out if there are any particularly good brands, models or features I'd want? Recommendations? I'll also need a silent or virtually silent compressor as I'll be using it in my bedroom and I have other people's bedrooms behind 4 walls/ceilings, anything excessively noisy would be a no no. Suggestions here too?
I don't know that much about the costings but would consider paying maybe one to a few hundred all-in for a good airbrush and compressor. I live in the UK and paint using GW paints, with a few Coat 'd arms paints I've not used much also. I've recently picked up a full set of the MIG weathering powder range and some black and brown oil paints I've not tried yet. Modelwise I'm looking to paint a range of armies including smooth Eldar/Tau models, a variety of camo patterns and effects on imperial/renegade tanks and aircraft, organics like Tyranids, etc. I also want to do concrete and stonework effects on an 8' by 4' epic cityscape of dense roads and buildings, so will occasionally have need to paint big things, though am much more interested in the little side of things and doing that best. I want to be able to undercoat, base coat, smoothly blend between colours and weather and stain small areas with small sprays of paint or ink (e.g. as http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33459&highlight=airbrush), blacken ends of artillery guns barrels, etc. As with 30mm I imagine it will be more useful for tanks/planes etc than infantry.
Lastly generally how easy are airbrush use/techniques to master? Could I expect to be able to be able to produce the sorts of airbrush effects in the FW book after a few weeks or months of practice? Or would it be more like years or regular use to get really good?
Thanks!
For 6mm I figure I want an airbrush that is capable of putting out a extremely fine spray of droplets over a very small area with good control, yes? From my uneducated browsing around I have a general idea the better/more expensive airbrushes would be better for this (and that it's worth paying for a good one), but want to find out if there are any particularly good brands, models or features I'd want? Recommendations? I'll also need a silent or virtually silent compressor as I'll be using it in my bedroom and I have other people's bedrooms behind 4 walls/ceilings, anything excessively noisy would be a no no. Suggestions here too?
I don't know that much about the costings but would consider paying maybe one to a few hundred all-in for a good airbrush and compressor. I live in the UK and paint using GW paints, with a few Coat 'd arms paints I've not used much also. I've recently picked up a full set of the MIG weathering powder range and some black and brown oil paints I've not tried yet. Modelwise I'm looking to paint a range of armies including smooth Eldar/Tau models, a variety of camo patterns and effects on imperial/renegade tanks and aircraft, organics like Tyranids, etc. I also want to do concrete and stonework effects on an 8' by 4' epic cityscape of dense roads and buildings, so will occasionally have need to paint big things, though am much more interested in the little side of things and doing that best. I want to be able to undercoat, base coat, smoothly blend between colours and weather and stain small areas with small sprays of paint or ink (e.g. as http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33459&highlight=airbrush), blacken ends of artillery guns barrels, etc. As with 30mm I imagine it will be more useful for tanks/planes etc than infantry.
Lastly generally how easy are airbrush use/techniques to master? Could I expect to be able to be able to produce the sorts of airbrush effects in the FW book after a few weeks or months of practice? Or would it be more like years or regular use to get really good?
Thanks!
